FPL Interested in Going All-In On Undergrounding

Results are reports are coming in after Hurricanes Mathew and Irma on the performance and future of undergrounding utilities in Florida. While undergrounding is not perfect, it outperforms overhead powerlines by a wide margin.

Some significant information and quotes from the articles below:

FPL’s Bryan Olnick, president of distribution operations, told Public Service Commissioners its underground equipment worked so well in hurricanes Matthew and Irma that FPL’s goal is to have the entire distribution system “hardened or placed underground by 2024.”

Underground infrastructure performed 95 percent better than aboveground during Matthew, and 80 percent better during Irma.

Already more than one-third of the neighborhood power lines in FPL’s system are underground.